YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Youngstown State University Board of Trustees held their final meeting of the year Friday and took time to recognize retiring president Jim Tressel.

This was also Tressel’s last meeting with the board as president of the university, a job he’s held for the last eight and half years.

Board members approved the appointment of a new interim president, Helen Lafferty, who will begin February 1.

They also unanimously approved a measure thanking Tressel for his years of service, saying many of his goals were achieved.

“Some of the things that he really wanted to do was increase the retention rate, which we did; increase the graduation rate, which we did. The fundraising – he was a key component of that,” said John Jakubec, chairman of the YSU Board of Trustees.

After taking the vote, board members and those in the audience gave Tressel a standing ovation.

His final day at YSU will be Jan. 31.